Locking effects of error fields on a tearing mode in tokamak

Abstract

Abstract Locking effects of error fields on a tearing mode in Tokamak are studied numerically using the three-dimensional toroidal code based on a full set of magnetohydrodynamic equations. It is found that a threshold of the error field for mode locking exists and depends on the plasma rotation and the ramp-up time of the error field. The mode locking threshold increases with increasing the rotation frequency and the ramp-up time of the error field. Moreover, the results from the multiple helical error field suggest that the m/n = 3/1 and 4/2 error field along with the m/n = 2/1 error field can increase both the m/n = 2/1 perturbation and its higher-harmonics through the mode coupling due to both the toroidal and nonlinear effects, but it becomes more effective if the 4/2 error field is imposed directly. The 3/1 error field in-phase (anti-phase) with the 2/1 error field leads to a positive (negative) contribution to intensification of the 2/1 tearing mode and mode locking.